Hey guys, I used to work in lighting R&D, here’s some info re the article and comments.
-
There is a new higher efficiency incandescent bulb in development. It will have a similar spectral output to current incandescent bulbs, but twice the efficiency (still less efficient than CFL’s). The new high efficiency incandescents will replace the old technology that will eventually be phased out.
-
Most people that hate CFL don’t recognize that there are different color temperatures available. Warm White is the closest to an incandescent while cool white is more blue and is often described as “cold and sterile”.
-
CFL’s have electronics inside the package that don’t handle moisture well. Unless they are designed for outdoor use keep them inside. Also, they have to warm up to get full light output. The technology has gotten better and they now heat up faster, but there’s still a warm up period. The colder the room the longer the warm up, another reason they don’t work as well outside. I have some in the garage and you can tell the difference in the winter.
-
As for LED’s mainly being available as accent lighting, it’s because it’s replacement for low wattage lighting, not primary lighting. The technical challenge with LED’s is getting the heat away from the LED. So, if you get too many in a small package the generated heat can be detrimental. It’s not as much heat as a an incandescent bulb, but LED’s can’t handle the heat.
-
I guess it’s the UV in light that causes skunking in beer. So sunlight, fluorescent bulbs and even some LED bulbs have significant UV output. Best to avoid light. Solid plastic and most fabrics can filter out the UV, but to be sure it’s just best to keep beer in the dark to protect it.